The city of Evanston, Ill., has purchased 5.5 million kWh of renewable energy credits (RECs) from Baltimore-based Constellation NewEnergy, an electricity supplier and wholly owned subsidiary of Constellation Energy, to offset 20% of the city's electricity usage with wind energy.

Under the agreement, the utility will serve the city's combined peak demand load of approximately 19 million kWh per year, which is required to power several high-profile municipal facilities, including the Robert Crown Ice Arena, Evanston Art and Cultural Centers, the Ecology Center, the municipal water pumps, and the city's parks and recreational facilities.

"The city of Evanston is committed to pursuing environmentally friendly solutions that help us become a more energy-efficient city and a greener community," says Lorraine H. Morton, Evanston's mayor. "Our decision to offset 20 percent of our energy demands from clean wind generation will play a significant role in helping us meet this goal."

The city officials' decision to purchase RECs is another step in their ongoing efforts to pursue environmentally friendly solutions. In 2005, the city was promoted to silver status by Clean Air Counts, a northeastern Illinois regional initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.